The Wall
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: Harry visits the one place all Section Heads want to avoid. Can Ruth make him see that none of the names will be forgotten?


I do not own Spooks - all copyright belongs to BBC and Kudos. No copyright infringement intended.

Lest We Forget

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. He was exhausted, it had been a day from Hell and he knew there was still a long way to go. He shook his head slightly looking at the names engraved on the ornate wall in front of him. Each hung like a heavy weight on his soul.

"Harry?" He turned to see Ruth watching him from the doorway. The Remembrance Day monument to fallen officers was hidden away from view. Suddenly that made him feel extremely angry.

"Hidden away, like their sacrifices didn't matter."

"They matter, Harry." Ruth stated firmly.

"I know." Harry took her hand as she joined him. "They all mattered. They still do." He sighed as she squeezed his hand.

"Helen, Colin, Daniel, Fiona, Benjamin, Constance, Joanna." Ruth blinked as she rested her head on his shoulder. Harry nodded.

"Gone before their time."

"As was Bill." Ruth knew he still missed his old friend. Bill had been the brother he had never had. She knew little about his death, it was one of the topics they spoke little about. Harry closed his eyes, remembering the larger than life man who had invariably got him into and out of a number of escapades through their youth and early days in anti -terrorism. He smiled slightly, remembering the infectious laugh and devil may care attitude of the young man he had befriended. It seemed so wrong that he had never got to grow old, like the rest of them.

"You'd have liked Bill."

"I'm sure I would." Ruth smiled. "He sounds an interesting character."

"A cad." Harry chuckled. "That's what my mother would have described him as. And she's have blamed him for leading me astray."

"I dare say that didn't take much."

Harry chuckled. Ruth shook her head.

"No it didn't. Not really." He paused. "It should be my name on the wall, not his."

"No name should be there. I never met Bill, Helen or Ben but I knew Colin, Danny, Fi and Jo. No one deserves to die the way they did. It's up to us to make sure no more names are added." The determination in her voice shook Harry for a moment.

"You miss Jo."

"Every day. She's my best friend, she's the one who made me consider coming back, who made me think my life was worth living. I know she'd love seeing us together; seeing Nick and Gracie grow up."

"She would." Harry agreed. "Joanna was nothing if not a romantic."

"Like you." Ruth smiled slightly as Harry raised an eyebrow. He knew she saw through the bluster and facade that he had developed for life in the service. She knew not many people did. He kissed hair as she stared at the wall. Names and dates to everyone else, friends and heartache to her.

"That's the worst thing about what we do. We risk everything for our country. Most people out there have no idea we exist. They see spies as James Bond look a likes. They have no idea what really happens." He closed his eyes as she read the names.

"They can never know." Ruth sighed.

"Ruth."

"The op at the Cenotaph went well. Dimitri, Lucas and Zoe marched but didn't see anything untoward. Ros, Adam and Alec picked up two AQ operatives in the vicinity and Royal Protection were on the ball." She repeated what he already knew.

"Poppies." Harry paused, ignoring her words. "Gracie asked me why we wear pretty flowers."

"She's three. Lots of questions coming our way, I think." Ruth smiled as she thought of the sandy haired little girl. Harry nodded. "What did you say?"

"So we never forget our friends, people who saved the world." Ruth turned to him, straightening his tie she rested her hand just above his heart. A poppy pinned to his chest mirrored her own.

"Good answer." Ruth decided. "And we won't. We won't ever forget them. And neither will the spooks that come after us." Harry nodded as he took her hand before quietly leading her out of the marble floored room. Neither looked back, neither of them saw the faint image of Jo smiling as she held a scarlet red poppy in one hand. She was happy, knowing that while the rest of the world hadn't known the sacrifice she and past spooks had made, her friends, people who loved her, who followed the same path would never forget.

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A/N please review


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